A Day in the Life of a Play Therapist
I’ve written before about what play therapy is. This week (Feb 6-12) is National Play Therapy Week. So, it seemed like a great opportunity to talk about a day in the life of a play therapist.
So, just what does a play therapist do all day? Well, a lot.
Make sure all toys are clean and in good working order all.day.long.
Keep bandaids stocked in the doctor kit to help soothe visible - and invisible - boo boos
Make monsters out of playdoh
Sit and co-regulate with a kiddo who has been reminded of their trauma
Be a racecar driver
Be hit repeatedly with a beach ball because those belly laughs are worth it (and, of course, it doesn’t hurt)
Talk with schools, daycares, other therapists, parents, doctors, and others who also care about your kiddo
Have a dance party
Push a kiddo in a swing for almost a whole hour to help regulate them
Color and draw and paint
Play card games like Uno and Spot It to help a kiddo practice turn-taking and good sportsmanship
Explore the clinic with a kiddo who is practicing being brave
Write notes, and letters, and reports, and emails
Play hide-n-seek to reassure a kiddo that people who go away (usually) come back
Be an audience member (or a participant) for a puppet show, or a dance recital, or an oral recitation
Practice deep breathing with a kiddo, and also sometimes on my own between sessions because some of the things kids share are hard to hear and hold
Provide encouragement and suggestions to parents (and other caregivers)
Read and be read to
Make a memory bracelet with a kiddo to help them remember a loved one who passed away
Be a superhero’s sidekick
Clean up sand and water beads that have escaped - on accident or on purpose - their containers
Play old school games like Simon Says and Red Light-Green Light to help a kiddo practice communication and directions-following skills
As you can see, it’s a busy day. It’s never boring, though it is certainly sometimes exhausting. Mostly, I spend the day listening to and observing your kiddo, giving them my full attention, and just being present to witness whatever they need to share with me, in whatever way they need to do that. I love being a play therapist and getting to “play” with your kids all day.
